Our Hope by MARY J. COTTRELL

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1866

Our Hope.

By MARY J. COTTRELL

WHAT a glorious hope! reaching far up above earth, and centering in bright Heaven. It is the hope of soon leaving this earth where we often meet frowns, instead of smiles; where those we have loved, turn coldly away; where the flowers we have cared for so tenderly, fade and die; where temptations oft assail us ; where, in short, the blighting effects of sin are all around us; and going to live with Jesus and angels, where all is love, peace, and fadeless beauty. The hope of seeing him who left his home in glory, came down to earth, and suffered untold agony, then died upon the cross, while blood trickled from those torn hands, and feet, pierced by the cruel nails. The hope of seeing him—our Saviour—in all his glory, crowned with such a crown of glory as mortal never conceived, of receiving from his hand those robes of spotless white, and such a white! I fancy it will be unlike the white of earth, so pure and glittering, and crowns of gold; just think of it, that you and I, poor sinning mortals, may be thus exalted. This is the honor to which our hope points us, and what is earth's honor to compare with it? Nothing, nothing. And then, too, if we realize our hope, we shall see Jesus open those pearly gates, and hear his lovely voice, far sweeter than any music, saying to us, even to us, "Enter in, ye that have come up through great tribulation." Great tribulation! Yes, 'tis thus that we must be purified if we see the fruition of our hope. But we need not shrink from the trial, for we have the sweet promise, "my grace is sufficient," and then, our hope. Is it not enough to cheer us amid all trials? Yes; if this hope is indeed ours, and we cling to it with firm faith, we shall be enabled to stand every trial.

Our hope is full of glory, it points to a land where friends are never untrue, where flowers bloom in fadeless beauty, where no cold wintry winds can come, where no tempter will mar our harmony, where death can have no foothold. This, and much more, may be ours to enjoy, if "by patient continuance in well doing" we seek for it.

Then onward, upward let us press, Until the pearly gates unfold; Until we see our Jesus crowned, And with him walk the streets of gold.

Let not earth-frowns daunt us, earth-music charm us, or earth-pleasures allure us from the Heavenward path, rough and thorny though it be, the end is very near, and soon we shall see all the Lord has prepared for those that love him. MARY J. COTTRELL.